Space flight board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A board game playable by one or more persons, designed to simulate a moon landing or other space mission. A game flight board has a grid formed thereon symbolic of space flight positions. A manually movable marker simulates a space vehicle and is movable about the grid between a transverse orbital path and fixed target bases. A related controller board area has indicia symbolizing a consumable fuel supply for a space vehicle and additional indicia indicative of movement to be imparted to the game flight board marker about the grid. Indicator tokens are moved sequentially about the controller board in response to a chance device, thereby indicating movement to be imparted to the game board marker simulating a space vehicle and simulated use of fuel. The object is to move the marker or &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;space vehicle&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; across the grid between the orbital path and a chosen target base within the limits of the available &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;fuel supply&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; on the controller board area.

[ Apr. 30, 1974 United States Patent Allred [541 sPAcE FLIGHT BOARD GAME- APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Richard A. Allred, 335 S. Bradway,

Othello, Wash. 99344 22 Filed: Aug. 29,1972

[21] Appl. No.: 284,613

52 US. 01..... 273/134 AA, 273/134 B, 273/134 D 51 Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 58 Field ofSearch..... 273/134 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,223,420 12/1965 Turner 273/134 AA 3,373,995 3/l968 Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney, Agent, or FirmWells, St. John & Roberts [57] ABSTRACT A board game playable byone or more persons, de-

Fors 273/134 AA signed to simulate a moon landing or other space mission. A game flight board has a grid formed thereon symbolic of space flight positions. A manually movable marker simulates a space vehicle and is movable about the grid between a transverse orbital path and fixed target bases. A related controller board area has indicia symbolizing a consumable fuel supply for a space vehicle and additional indicia indicative of movement to be imparted to the game flight board marker about the grid. Indicator tokens are moved sequentially about the controller board in response to a chance device, thereby indicating movement to be imparted to the game board marker simulating a space vehicle and simulated use of fuel. The object is to move the marker or space vehicle across the grid between the orbital path and a chosen target base within the limits of the available fuel supply" on the controller board area.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDWNQ m4 01,740

FIG 2 FIG 3 BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION This invention results from a desire to simulate space vehicle movement in a relatively inexpensive board game challenging to persons of all ages. The game has been developed for play by a single person, or by two or more persons either competitively or alone. The game is controlled by chance, and success hinges upon reaching defined goals while depleting a consumable fuel supply similar to the available fuel carried by actual space vehicles.

One object of this invention is to provide a versatile game which can be played in a number of different modes so as to constantly challenge and maintain the interest of a user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reasonably economical board game not requiring any specially molded elements or structural support.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fascinating board game simulating space travel and playable by one or more persons.

These and further objects will be evident from the following disclosure, which details aspecific embodiment of the basic game. It is to be understood that this embodiment is provided only by way of illustration, and

that the disclosed invention is fully definedin the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1- is a plan view of the game flight board;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the controller board area for ascent; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the controller board are for descent.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While not necessarily limited to such a simulation, the game board'elements shown-in the drawings specifically apply the concepts of this space flight game discosure toa game simulating a moon landing. Three boards or board areas are used in playing of the game. The largest board, flight board (FIG. 1) has a printed array onv its face including transverse orbital paths 11, 12 arranged across the top of the board; Paths 11-, 12- guide movementof markers representing a commandship and-lunar lander respectively. Three printed lunar landing bases 13 are located'across the bottom of board 10 and a two-dimensional rectangular printedof position marker l5=about grid 14 to thebase 1 3' from path 12- and ascent controller board 18' is used during its return. Indicator. tokens 20 are placed on-the boards 17, "land are movedin response to use of a conventional six sided die (not shown) or other chance device having a numerical indication.

A player pilots the landing craft simulated by marker 15 by moving the marker in the manner indicated by the descending system provided on board 17 and the ascending system provided on board 18'. Each of these systems includes a printed flight computer and related fuel gauge. The flight computer comprises a number of transverse printed rows 21 presenting adjacent squares, each having an indicator arrow printed therein directed diagonally either upward for ascent (on board 18) or downward for descent (on board 17). The fuel gauge is simulated by vertical columns 22 adjacent to the rows 21. The squares forming columns 22 have numerical indications of remaining percentages of fuel for the lander controlled thereby. The data provided by each computer progress the lander on the flight board 10. The data of columns 22 indicate how long it can continue to descend or ascend as limited by the remaining fuel shown in the vertical columns 22.

The flight board 10 provides three different landing bases 13 on the simulated lunar surface. The controller boards 17, 18 can be programmedto land a vehicle on one, two or three of the bases in a single mission. Before playing, each person must devise a flight plan choosing the number and location of chosen target bases 13. A flight plan is a written memo or list indicating the number of landings that will be attempted by the player and specific details concerningthe landings, such as choice of bases and the order of landing upon them.

All missions or games begin with the markers 15', 16 in lunar orbit. The marker 15 is first located at the center position on the orbital path 12 and the marker 16 is likewise located on the center position of the path 11. Each lander represented'by a marker 15 undocks from the command: ship represented. by marker 16' and descends toward the land-ing bases 13 under control; of

the tokens 20; As they descend, fueldiminishesin response to movement of the tokens 20 as the player attempts to land his craft. Afterlanding, his final goal is to attain a re-dockedi position with the command ship, which moves during play along a simulated'orbital-path across the printed path 11. The basic objective is to complete a mission according to the initial flight plan. Since the fuelsupply diminishes at a rate that cannotbe predicted, it is sometimes necessary to revise aflight planandconsider alternative missions short of exhaustion of the fuel supply and resulting. loss of the lander.

' Each player begins with the command ship marker 16 at the center of path 11 and his lander marker 15 positioned on board 10 adjacent to marker 16 and immediately beneath; it on path 12 position of. marker 15 in phantom lines at FIG. 1. Each player is furnished with controller board areas similar to boards 17, 18 and four tokens 20; One token 20is placed outward of each upper left hand corner square of the rows 21- on each board 1 7,, 18 on a starting location identified by numeral. L9; The others are placed: at the tops of the selected vertical columns 22 relating to the number of landings that will be attempted by the player. In the i1- lustrated-boards, the left handcolumn 22 is used to indicate fuel supply for three landings, the center to indicate fuelsupply for two landings andthe right handcolumn to indicate fuel supply for one landing. The area of the rows 21 used for asingle landing attempt is bordered by lines 23, 24. The area used to control two attempted landings is bordered by lines 25, 26. The entire area of rows 21 is used to control three landings.

To play the game, the player rolls a conventional die or operates other chance means and moves the tokens 20 in response to the number indicated thereon. For

instance, if the number 4" were rolled in the first play,

the token 20 at location 19 of the descent controller board 17 would be moved four spaces to the right,

.thereby locating it on the square indicated in FIG. 3 by the numeral 27. The arrow on square 27 points downwardly to the left, indicating that the position marker is to be moved diagonally from its original position (shown at 28 in FIG. 1) to the grid intersection immediately below and to the left of it.

Play continues in this manner by sequentially rolling the die and advancing the token 20 along the rows 21 to indicate movement to be imparted to the marker 15. As the token reaches the right hand end of a row 21 or the chosen border 24, 26, it is dropped to the left hand end of the row 21 immediately beneath it. Simultaneously, the token 20 on the corresponding vertical column 22 is dropped one row, thereby providing a numerial indication of remaining fuel in the consumable fuel supply for the simulated lander. In this manner, the marker 15 is moved about the grid 14 and the player attempts to reach the chosen landing base 13.

Each time the token 20 on any column 22 of either board 17, 18 of any player is dropped one row, the marker 16, which simulates the command ship, is moved one step in either direction, but must be continuously moved during each game in the same direction, either from left to right or right to left. When it reaches the end of path 11, it is moved to the opposite end and again begins travel in the chosen direction. When two or more players are involved, only one of them controls the marker 16. This will normally be the one rolling the highest number on his first play. If his lander later crashes or he loses, a remaining player takes over.

During descent, a player has the option of utilizing his ascent controller board as an alternative to movement as indicated by the tokens 20 on the descent controller board. The tokens 20 on the ascent controller board are initially located and moved by the player in the same manner described above. Should the marker 15 drift too far to the side of the selected landing base 13, the player has the option of checking the indication that would be provided by the ascent computer after roll of the die. It is sometimes advisable to ascend and locate the marker 15 closer to the vertical path to the selected base 13 than to allow it to drift too far to one side or the other. However, the player must keep in mind that both controller boards 17, 18 require use of a depletable fuel supply and that no substitute source of fuel is available in the simulated game. Alternating use of boards l7, 18 is most helpful when nearing a landing at the lower end of the grid 14.

When attempting multiple landings, the player, after establishing a landing on the first elected base 13, must next ascend to or above the multiple landing line at the center of the flight board 10, indicated by the numeral 30. If his mission involves more than one landing, the player may not use his descent board 17 or descend again to a second or third landing until his marker 15 reaches the mutliple landing line 30. He does have the option of returning to the path 12 if he desires for reasons of board position, but must avoid redocking until all landings are accomplished. Only the ascent controller board 18 can be used during ascent of the lander by upward movement of marker 15 following each successful landing. Alternate use of these boards 17, 18 is permitted only during descent maneuvers.

After the player has reached his indicated targets, the ascent controller board 18 is continued in use, within available limits of fuel, in an attempt to simulate a rendezvous procedure or docking between the lander and command ship simulated by markers 15, 16. First, the marker 15 returns to any location along the orbital path 12 in the manner described above, continuing movement of marker 16 in its chosen direction. After reaching path 12, the lander marker 15 is moved along path 12 in the direction of movement of marker 16 according to the value of the number indicated on the die, while continuing to move marker 16 in its usual manner. Each location on the board along path 12 serves as one count. During rendezvous the tokens 20 of either board 17, 18 must be moved in their normal fashion, disregarding the directional arrows. This simulates use of fuel. If fuel on both boards 17, 18 is exhausted prior to successful rendezvous, the player loses. The mission terminates when the marker 15 is again immediately beneath the marker 16, simulating a successful redocking procedure.

All play must take place before the tokens 20 on the required controller boards 17, 18 reach the lower right hand corner of the controlling area for the number of landings chosen by the player. A player cannot further descend his lander after depleting descent fuel as indicated on the board 17. He cannot ascend or continue to rendezvous after depleting the ascent fuel indicated on board 18. When both systems are completely depleted of fuel, the lander 15 is assumed to have crashed and the game is either over (if played by only one person) or the person controlling that marker 15 has lost the game (if two or more are playing.)

Various modifications can be made in playing the game. As an example, the darkened vertical lines 31 leading to the landing bases 13 can be utilized as radar paths, permitting a player to elect vertical movement after landing on one of these lines. This election can be premised on rolling a particular number on the die. Once these conditions are met, the marker 15 can be moved vertically downward in response to the number rolled on the die, continuing movement of the tokens 20 on the descent controller board 17, but paying no attention to them as indicative of movement of the marker 15.

Collisions of the markers 15 can be avoided by alternate use of the systems simulated by boards 17, 18.

A player can be penalized for moving beyond the boundary lines 32 at each side of the flight board 10, and not be permitted to return back onto the grid 14 until a specified number is rolled on the die, again continuing to deplete his fuel supply on the boards 17, 18. During this time the marker 15 remains stationary on an outside line 33 representing a lander out of contact.

The game described above provides an interesting challenge to a single player or to multiple players either moving independently of one another or in competition. It is reasonably inexpensive to fabricate, requiring no special structural elements or marking pieces, although the markers 15 may be either printed or shaped to simulate the space vehicles involved. The game provides a challenge to players of any age and can be readily mastered by anyone.

Various changes can be made in the specific features of the game without deviating from the basic structure. For this reason, only the following claims are intended herein as limiting definitions of the game concept.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

A space flight board game, comprising:

game flight board having a grid formed thereon symbolic 'of two-dimensional spaced flight positions located between starting and finishing positions on the grid;

a position marker simulating a space vehicle, the potioning of an indicator token on said indicia;

chance means for the selection of a single symbol from a group of symbols;

said indicator token being movable sequentially along said spaces on the controller board by a player in response to the symbol selected by said chance means.

2. A game as set out in claim 1 wherein said sequentially arranged spaces on the controller board com- 10 prise:

parallel rows of indicator squares each having printed indicia related thereto showing direction of the movement to be imparted to the indicia marker on the game flight board in response to the positioning of an indicator token thereon.

3. A game as set out in claim 2 wherein said sequentially arranged spaces further comprise:

a column of indicator squares arranged perpendicular to said rows along one end thereof and respectively corresponding to individual rows, each square having printed indicia relates thereto showing progressive depletion of the symbolic consumable fuel quantity. 

1. A space flight board game, comprising: a game flight board having a grid formed thereon symbolic of two-dimensional spaced flight positions located between starting and finishing positions on the grid; a position marker simulating a space vehicle, the position marker being manually movable about the grid of the game flight board; a manually movable indicator token; a controller board having a plurality of sequentially arranged spaces having indicia related thereto which, when interpreted in accordance with playing rules, relate to the player information concerning usage of a symbolic consumable fuel quantity and which individually direct movement to be imparted by the player to the position marker on the grid oF the game flight board in response to positioning of an indicator token on said indicia; chance means for the selection of a single symbol from a group of symbols; said indicator token being movable sequentially along said spaces on the controller board by a player in response to the symbol selected by said chance means.
 2. A game as set out in claim 1 wherein said sequentially arranged spaces on the controller board comprise: parallel rows of indicator squares each having printed indicia related thereto showing direction of the movement to be imparted to the indicia marker on the game flight board in response to the positioning of an indicator token thereon.
 3. A game as set out in claim 2 wherein said sequentially arranged spaces further comprise: a column of indicator squares arranged perpendicular to said rows along one end thereof and respectively corresponding to individual rows, each square having printed indicia relates thereto showing progressive depletion of the symbolic consumable fuel quantity. 